Wow, it's been over a year since we updated. I apologize to any who are wondering what we're doing nowadays!

The last time we updated Nicholas was born a month before and we were learning to deal with 5 boys. Well, a year later, we're still learning but we're much better at it.

This year has been one of tremendous change in our household as you can see by our individual updates. It's been a good process but change is sometimes difficult too. Some of the biggest changes are the addition of Nicholas, Holly now working and Thomas working out of the house.

Thomas: After almost three years of looking for a new job, Tom was hired by Information Control Corporation (ICC) as a contractor in May. They put him on salary and he was stationed at Resource Interactive. Resource is a web design firm that works on major companies like HP, The Limited, Shaw Floors, Select Comfort and they have a new client, Coke. Tom was put to work on the Subscriber’s Choice section of the HP.com website. He helped with the “HP Passport” migration that was designed to integrate all the HP sites with one login. It was a major task. It was a great accomplishment.

Then, something pretty big... After having been contacted by a woman who found Tom on the website "linkedin.com", Thomas interviewed (three times) and accepted the position of "Director of Information Technology" at the Columbus Museum of Art. This is a major step for Tom who has wanted to further his career in this path. It was quite the work of the Lord really. So, having not spent a full year at ICC, Thomas said good-bye on December 23. After three months at the museum, he still loves his job so that is a good thing.

Also, in March, Thomas was enrolled into the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus. This is the Patriotic Arm of the Knights and the highest level you can reach in the Knights. He got a sword and will eventually get the feathered hat as well. _sweet_

Holly: Also during this year Holly's been in training to be a teacher of the Creighten Model of NFP (Natural Family Planning). It is a wonderful system helping women avoid and achieve pregnancy through their "FertilityCare" system and the "NAPro Technology" (Natural/Procreative). She works with a local NFP-only doctor, Dr. Michael Parker, they are so packed with people needing to learn this method due to infertility issues that she is going to be quite busy. She went to Omaha last year and in the beginning of this year for two one-week sessions learning about the method.

She had her final exam in November and passed with flying colors so she's a FertilityCare Pracitioner

The Boys: Daniel, Paul and Jonathan started in a charter school (publicly funded, private school) this fall. We decided to not go to our Catholic School again because this year we had three children in school and it only went up to 3rd grade anyway. So, we'd have the children in the school for one year before having to move anyway. We didn't have the money to pay for three tuitions and driving 80-miles per day (20 miles one-way).

The Charter school had its ups and downs. Initially the boys had problems adjusting. However, overall it's been really great and it's been a good school. The boys are learning a lot. We were not entirely excited about learning about all the different holidays; however, the great thing is that Christians/Catholics were given a fair shake. There was a lot of Christian stuff in there; it was nice.

Jonathan is learning how to work with others. He is the class policeman. His grades are awesome for kindergarten. He's really excelling with his reading; he's way beyond most in his class. He is also in choir with Daniel.

Paul is super smart. He can get math and reading very easily. However, we found he had a hard time focusing. After going to the eye-doctor we discovered that he has slightly crossed eyes, which caused problems with him being able to see his work correctly. With training, however, he's getting them to where they need to be. After wearing a patch for several months his eyes have straightened out. He's way into science and he gets things very quickly.

Daniel is growing up to be a wonderful young man. We're very happy with him and he helps out a great deal. He's an excellent reader and his math is improving. He's learning more and more about our Catholic faith and he asks very good questions. "God created the earth but who created God?" Dan was in the school choir and in the "Chorus Angelorum" at our church. He's got a great passion for singing.

Dominic is three. You parents know what that's like. He's our little pig pen. We bathe him and I swear he's a mess in 5 minutes. He's the most loving child and he can be a sweetheart beyond compare. He has two girlfriends and he's not the only one doing the pursuit! We're working with his speech, he cannot say most consonant sounds at the beginning and sometimes middle of words. So, things like water and father sound exactly the same, "wah-ul".